An operational combination of a tent pole anchor arrangement and a tent pole frame for supporting a tent over a pickup truck bed, the pickup truck having at least four appropriately positioned stake receiving pockets with opposite sidewalls;
- said operational combination being wherein:
- (a) said tent pole anchor arrangement comprises four substantially similar tent pole anchors positioned for supporting said tent pole frame;
- each of said tent pole anchors including:
- an expandable plug member having a longitudinal bore extending therethrough;
- a bolt member having a head portion and a shaft portion;
- a nut plate threadably engageable with said shaft portion;
- a slide member mounted in said anchor and engaging said bolt member substantially near said head portion;
- a tent pole receiving socket member mounted on said slide member;
- and, a pair of washer members;
- (i) each of said expandable plug members being selectively expandable in directions transverse to said longitudinal bore, whenever said plug is substantially compressed by forces directed along a direction of extension of said bore;
- (ii) each of said plug members being sized, when not substantially expanded, to be receivable within a selected stake receiving pocket in a pickup truck, with said longitudinal bore extending such that expansion of said plug member, when actuated, is generally toward the opposite walls of the pocket;
- said operational combination having said four tent pole anchors oriented in a generally retangular pattern at four corners of said tent;
- (iii) each of said bolt members being mounted in a plug member with said bolt member shaft portion extending through said plug bore;
- (iv) each of said bolt member shaft portions having first and second ends with said head portion being mounted on said shaft portion first end;
- (v) each of said plug members, as one of said nut plates is threadably engaged with the associated bolt member, being compressable along said longitudinal bore, and, generally expandable in directions transverse thereto;
- (vi) each of said slide members engaging an associated one of said bolt members substantially near said head portion;
- (vii) each of said socket members being selectively engageable with a selected portion of said tent pole frame to support same;
- (viii) each of said slide members including a base portion with first and second generally parallel prongs;
- each of said slide members being adjustably mounted in an associated anchor with an associated bolt member extending between said prongs;
- (ix) one of said tent pole receiving sockets being mounted on each slide member base portion;
- (x) each of said pairs of washer members being mounted on an associated bolt member shaft portion substantially adjacent said head portion;
- (xi) said slide member prongs of each slide member being positioned between an associated pair of washer members;
- and
- (b) said tent pole frame includes a first arching cross member and a second arching cross member;
- (i) said first cross member having first and second ends and being oriented to arc between a first pair of said tent pole anchors;
- said first pair of tent pole anchors being first and second tent pole anchors oriented at diagonally opposite corners of said rectangular pattern of tent pole anchors;
- said first cross member first and second ends each being securely engaged by a tent pole receiving socket member on an associated tent pole anchor;
- (ii) each of said first cross members including first and second separable segment portions having means for joining to one another, in a generally coaxial manner, to form said first cross member;
- (iii) said second cross member having first and second ends and being oriented to arc between a second pair of tent pole anchors;
- said second pair of tent pole anchors being third and fourth tent pole anchors oriented at diagonally opposite corners of said rectangular pattern of tent pole anchors;
- said second cross member first and second ends each being securely engaged by a tent pole receiving socket member on an associated tent pole anchor;
- (iv) said second cross member including third and fourth separable segment portions having means for joining to one another, in a generally coaxial manner, to form said second cross member;
- (v) said first and second cross members forming an arched cross, with said first and second cross members crossing one another substantially over a midpoint of said rectangular pattern;
- (c) whereby said anchors may be selectively secured to pickup truck stake receiving pockets by selective actuation of said bolt member and said nut plates;
- (d) whereby said tent pole frame may be selectively secured to said anchors in a preferred position of extension for use in supporting a tent over the pickup truck bed;
- (e) whereby a tent covering may be supported by said operational combination of a tent pole anchor arrangement and a tent pole frame, to form the tent;
- (f) whereby said slide members are selectively adjustable whenever associated nut plates and bolt members are selectively adjusted not to tightly pinch said slide member prongs between said washer members;
- (g) whereby said slide members are selectively lockable into selected orientations for supporting said cross members, to form said tent pole frame, when said bolt members are selectively tightly threaded into said nut plates to pinch said washer members toward one another;
- and,
- (h) whereby said first and second cross members are each capable of being selectively disassembled for storage.